3D Printing Info

Filament comparison

PC-ABS vs TPU soft

Compare printing settings, strength, heat resistance, dated prices and sources.

PC/ABS blend guideSoft TPU (below 85A) guide

2 selected · all documented properties

Open these two in the interactive comparisonMore PC-ABS comparisonsMore TPU soft comparisons
PC-ABS vs TPU soft — documented properties and sources
PropertyPC/ABS blendPCSoft TPU (below 85A)FLEX
Market snapshot
Listing priceUSD/kg; dated snapshots$45.99/kg median; $34.99–$84.00/kg across 5 dated product listings$114.04/kg median; $109.80–$122.27/kg across 4 dated product listings
Identity & Market
Base polymer / chemistryPolycarbonate/ABS alloy — PC stiffness and heat resistance with ABS processability[1][2]Very soft thermoplastic elastomers below 85 Shore A. Fiberlogy's FiberFlex 30D measures 81 Shore A, the softest grade with a published datasheet found here[3]
Densityg/cm³1.10 (Polymaker) and 1.24 (3DXTech FR grade), ISO 1183; Stratasys specific gravity 1.10 (ASTM D792)[1][2][4]1.07 (Fiberlogy FiberFlex 30D, ISO 1183)[3]
Typical priceUSD/kg1 kg spools cluster near 50[5][6]1 kg-equivalent spools cluster near 115[7][8][9]
Price range across brandsUSD/kg35–84 across brands; Reli3D 35, SUNLU 46, Polymaker 50, 3DXMAX 84[5][6][10][11]110–122 at 1 kg-equivalent; Recreus 70A 110 and 60A 116 at 500 g, NinjaTek Edge 83A 112, NinjaTek Chinchilla 75A 122; the Recreus 3 kg spools fall to 70–73[7][9][8]
Market availability1–5Available from several mainstream brands[5][6]Niche, a handful of specialist brands[3][12][7]
Spool sizes & diameters1.75 and 2.85 mm; 0.5 and 1 kg spools[5][6]1.75, 2.85 and 3 mm; 0.5, 0.85, 1, 2 and 3 kg spools[3][7][13][8]
Typical applicationsAutomotive interior and electronics housings that need PC heat resistance without PC's warping[1]Highly compliant seals, soft grips and prosthetic liners[3]
Printing Parameters
Nozzle temperature°C250–270 (Polymaker)[1]Not documented
Bed temperature°C90–105 (Polymaker)[1]50–70 (Fiberlogy FiberFlex 30D)[3]
Enclosure / chamber requirement1–5Enclosure required (passive) — Polymaker specifies a 90–100 °C chamber[1]Open frame is fine[3]
Recommended chamber temperature°C90–100 (Polymaker)[1]Not documented
Part cooling fanOff (Polymaker)[1]Not documented
Bed surface & adhesion aidPEI with a glue stick or a commercial adhesive[14]PEI sheet or painter's tape; Polymaker warns TPU can over-stick and advises a glue stick as a release agent[15][16]
Maximum volumetric flow (mm³/s; see test conditions)mm³/s20 at Polymaker's 250 mm/s cap on a 0.4 mm nozzle at 0.2 mm layer[1][17]Not documented
Warping tendency1–5High — enclosure needed for reliable large parts[1][18]Not documented
Bed-adhesion difficulty1–5Needs a specific surface plus adhesive[14][19]Not documented
Stringing / oozing tendency1–5Moderate — retraction tuning needed; Polymaker flags stringing as a common PC problem[19]Not documented
Overall printing difficulty1–5Advanced — enclosure, hardware upgrades, tuning[1][18]Expert / industrial hardware only — below 85 Shore A the filament buckles in almost any feed path that is not a short, constrained direct drive[13][16]
Extruder requirementNot documentedDirect drive only, with a constrained filament path; Bowden is not viable at this hardness[13][12]
Hardware Wear & Reliability
Nozzle hardness required1–4Brass fine indefinitely[18]Brass fine indefinitely[20]
Abrasiveness1–5Non-abrasive[1]Non-abrasive[20]
Nozzle clog risk1–5Moderate — needs dry filament and a clean nozzle; 3DXTech lists no special nozzle concerns but a 120 °C pre-dry of 4 h or more[21]High — jams from moisture, heat creep or particles; below 85 Shore A the filament buckles and compresses, and Simplify3D warns that raised feed rates most likely end in a jam[15][16][22]
Heat-creep / jam sensitivity1–5Slightly sensitive[14]Very high — softens in the cold zone readily[16]
Hotend requirementAll-metal hot end required (Simplify3D)[14]No special hot-end required, but a direct-drive extruder is (Simplify3D)[15]
Moisture Behaviour
Moisture absorption (hygroscopicity)1–5Low (0.1–0.3 %) — the PC matrix takes up 0.15–0.25 % and 3DXTech specifies a 120 °C, 4 h or more pre-dry[23][24][21]Moderate[22]
Drying temperature & time75 °C for 6 h (Polymaker)[1]Not documented
Symptoms when wetBubbling and popping at the nozzle, stringing and a rough surface[22]Bubbling and popping at the nozzle, stringing and a rough surface[22]
Effect of moisture on strengthNo dry-versus-conditioned figures are published. Polymaker calls PC highly hygroscopic and requires a 70–80 °C dry for 6–8 h; run wet, the loss shows as surface defects and poor layer adhesion[19][22]Polymaker groups TPU with the highly hygroscopic materials; no dry-versus-conditioned figures are published[22]
Storage requirementAirtight containers with desiccant to prevent reabsorption[19]Sealed with desiccant; often kept in a dryer during the print[22]
Mechanical Properties
Tensile strength (XY)MPa39.9 ± 1.0 printed XY, ISO 527 (Polymaker); 3DXTech quotes 60 at break for its FR PC/ABS[1][2]Not documented
Young's modulusMPa1835 ± 65 printed XY, ISO 527 (Polymaker); 3DXTech quotes 2250[1][2]Not documented
Elongation at break%4.2 ± 0.3 printed XY, ISO 527 (Polymaker); 3DXTech quotes 10 at break[1][2]870 at break (Fiberlogy FiberFlex 30D, ISO 527) — the highest elongation in the dataset[3]
Flexural strengthMPa66.3 ± 0.9 printed XY, ISO 178 (Polymaker); 3DXTech quotes 85[1][2]Not documented
Flexural modulusMPa2081 ± 106 printed XY, ISO 178 (Polymaker); 3DXTech quotes 2300[1][2]Not documented
Charpy impact, notchedkJ/m²25.8 ± 1.3 printed XY, ISO 179, notched (Polymaker) — above both unfilled PC and ABS[1]Not documented
Other impact dataNotched Charpy still 13 ± 2 kJ/m² at −30 °C printed XY (Polymaker, ISO 179-1/1eA), against 1.5 in Z. Stratasys prints Izod notched at 241 J/m XZ against 34.0 J/m ZX, and unnotched 655 against 101 J/m (ASTM D256, F900 T16).[1][4]Not documented
Layer adhesion / Z tensileMPa25.9-30.2 at break printed ZX (Stratasys, ASTM D638 on the F900 and Fortus 450mc); 22.9 +/- 1.2 printed Z, ISO 527 (Polymaker)[1][4]Not documented
Brittleness1–5Tough — absorbs impact, yields before breaking[1]Very ductile — bends far before failing[3]
Hardness (scale-specific)Shore A / Shore D / RockwellRockwell 70 (118) — the source does not name the scales and Shore D 79 on extruded unfilled PC stock (ASTM D785, D2240); no figure is published for a PC/ABS filament[25]81 Shore A and 30 Shore D (Fiberlogy FiberFlex 30D, ISO 7619)[3]
Creep resistance / sustained load1–5Good. Room-temperature tensile creep of moulded PC/ABS was still running unbroken at 30 MPa when the experiment was stopped for time; specimens failed within the test window at 39-47 MPa (ASTM D638)[26]Poor — no creep test at this hardness; a printed 95A TPU bar crept from 74.5 to 82.7 mm over 5 days at 1.25 kg[27]
Fatigue / repeated-flex resistance1–5Not documentedExcellent — living hinges viable[16]
Elasticity / flexibility1–5Rigid[1]Rubbery / highly elastic[3]
Z strength as % of XY%75-86 (Stratasys ZX against XZ tensile at break, ASTM D638) against 57 (Polymaker, printed Z against XY tensile)[1][4]Not documented
Wear resistance & frictionNot documentedTear strength 95 kN/m (Fiberlogy FiberFlex 30D, ISO 34-1)[3]
Thermal Properties
HDT at 0.45 MPa°C112 (ISO 75 at 0.45 MPa, Polymaker); Stratasys prints 117.9 in XY and 126.1 in XZ (ASTM D648 Method B at 66 psi), against 125.0 moulded[1][4]Not documented
HDT at 1.8 MPa°C106 (ISO 75 at 1.8 MPa, Polymaker); Stratasys prints 107.5 in XY and 112.0 in XZ (ASTM D648 Method B at 264 psi), against 102.9 moulded[1][4]Not documented
Glass transition (Tg)°C109 (Polymaker) and 137 (3DXTech FR grade), DSC; Stratasys measures 105.3 (ASTM D7426 inflection point)[1][2][4]Not documented
Melting point / Vicat°CAmorphous — no melting point; Vicat 135 (Polymaker, ISO 306)[1]170 melting (Fiberlogy FiberFlex 30D, DSC)[3]
Continuous service temperature°C113 — Prusa publishes this as the temperature resistance of Prusament PC Blend[24]Not documented
Annealing response90 °C for 2 h (Polymaker)[1]Not documented
Thermal expansion (CTE)µm/m·K59.9 over -50 to 35 °C and 73.0 over -50 to 95 °C (printed XY, ASTM E831)[4]Not documented
Environment & Chemical
UV resistance1–5Degrades within weeks outdoors[19]Good — years with some colour shift; Polymaker lists UV exposure among the conditions TPU withstands[16]
Chemical resistanceWithstands oils, solvents and fuels; Polymaker rates it good against weak acids[19]Withstands industrial solvents and UV exposure (Polymaker)[16]
Food contactBisphenol-A polycarbonate is not offered as food-contact filament[19]Not food safe without specific certification (Polymaker)[16]
Biodegradability / compostabilityNot biodegradable[19]Not biodegradable[16]
RecyclabilityMechanically recyclable but not accepted in household plastic collection[19]Not accepted in household plastic collection[16]
Health & Safety
Fume toxicity1–5Moderate — measurable VOCs and UFPs, ventilation advised[28]Low hazard — minimal VOC and particle emission; TPU was not among the nine filaments in the chamber study[28]
Ultrafine-particle emission rateparticles/min≈4 × 10¹⁰ median — the highest ultrafine-particle rate of the nine filaments in the chamber study, above every ABS tested[28]Not documented
Ventilation / filtration requirement1–5Ventilated room or enclosure recommended[28][18]Open a window / occasional ventilation[28]
Post-Processing
Sanding & machiningSands and machines well; the toughness means it cuts rather than chips[14]Difficult to sand or smooth; Polymaker limits post-processing to trimming or tumbling[16]
Gluing & solvent weldingCyanoacrylate; dichloromethane solvent-welds PC but is a laboratory reagent[14]Cyanoacrylate bonds TPU; no common solvent welds it[16]
Vapour / chemical smoothingAcetone attacks the ABS phase, so surface smoothing is partial rather than full[1]No practical vapour smoothing[16]
Support material pairingPrints its own supports; 3DXTech sells a dedicated PC break-away support[14]Polymaker warns TPU supports are often very difficult to remove[16]
Solvents & Solubility
Soluble inDichloromethane and chloroform dissolve the PC phase; acetone, MEK and THF dissolve the ABS phase.[29][30]DMF, DMSO, NMP and THF dissolve TPU; acetone, MEK and cyclohexanone are partial solvents. All laboratory reagents.[31]
Softened or crazed byPetrol, esters, ether and 1 % alkali stress-crack the PC phase; aromatics and esters soften the ABS phase.[29][30]Toluene and benzene swell it up to +50 % by weight at 23 °C; esters swell it severely; ethanol and IPA soften it.[31]
Solvent welding & smoothing agentAcetone attacks only the ABS phase, so smoothing is partial; a dichloromethane cement welds the whole section.[1][32]None practical — the true solvents (DMF, THF, NMP) are laboratory reagents and leave the joint swollen and weak.[31]

Material entries describe families or representative grades, not an interchangeable specification for every spool. Test methods, orientations and conditions may differ. Unknown values are marked “Not documented”. Prices and source dates remain historical snapshots; check the linked guide for product details. Differences highlight text, not a universal winner.

Sources for this comparison

  1. Polymaker PC-ABS Technical Data Sheet V5.4 Polymaker · 2024-11 · tds
  2. Firewire Flame Retardant PC/ABS Technical Data Sheet Rev 3.0 3DXTech · 2026-08 · tds
  3. FiberFlex 30D Technical Data Sheet Fiberlogy · 2026-08 · tds
  4. PC-ABS — FDM Material Data Sheet Stratasys · 2023-08 · tds
  5. Polymaker product catalogue Polymaker · 2026-08 · vendor
  6. 3DXTech product catalogue 3DXTech · 2026-08 · vendor
  7. Recreus product catalogue Recreus · 2026-08 · vendor
  8. Chinchilla product page — print guidelines, spool sizes and price NinjaTek · 2026-08 · vendor
  9. NinjaFlex Edge product page — durometer, print guidelines and price NinjaTek · 2026-08 · vendor
  10. Reli3D PC-ABS Filament, Black, 1000 g spool Reli3D (Amazon US) · 2026-08 · vendor
  11. SUNLU PC-ABS 3D Printer Filament 1 kg SUNLU · 2026-08 · vendor
  12. Filaflex 82A product page (Shore hardness and elongation) Recreus · 2026-08 · vendor
  13. NinjaFlex 85A Technical Specifications NinjaTek · 2026-08 · tds
  14. Polycarbonate — Ultimate 3D Printing Materials Guide Simplify3D · 2026-08 · doc
  15. Flexible (TPE/TPU) — Ultimate 3D Printing Materials Guide Simplify3D · 2026-08 · doc
  16. TPU — material basics Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  17. Max volumetric speed Prusa Knowledge Base · 2026-08 · doc
  18. ABS / ASA / PC Usage Guide Bambu Lab Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  19. PC — material basics Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  20. Extrudr Product Catalogue (DURAPRO PA12 data block) Extrudr · 2025-03 · tds
  21. 3DXTech 3DXMAX ABS product page 3DXTech · 2026-08 · vendor
  22. Wet Filament — signs, causes and drying Polymaker Wiki · 2026-08 · doc
  23. Bambu Filament Technical Data Sheet V2.0 — PC Bambu Lab · 2026-08 · tds
  24. Prusament PC Blend Technical Datasheet v1.1 Prusa Polymers · 2022-02 · tds
  25. TECANAT natural (PC) — stock shape properties Ensinger · 2026-08 · tds
  26. Experimental data for creep and dynamic mechanical properties of polycarbonate and polycarbonate/ABS Data in Brief 42:108264 · 2022-06 · paper
  27. BambuLab TPU 95A HF vs Qidi TPU 95A HF — results spreadsheet My Tech Fun (Igor Gaspar) · 2024-02 · test
  28. Emissions of Ultrafine Particles and Volatile Organic Compounds from Commercially Available Desktop Three-Dimensional Printers with Multiple Filaments (Azimi et al.) Environmental Science & Technology 50(3) 1260-1268 · 2016-01 · paper
  29. Makrolon — The chemical resistance (Makrolon 2800, 6 days at 23 °C and 50 °C) Covestro · 2016-12 · tds
  30. Chemical resistance — resistance of Ensinger plastics to chemicals (DIN 50 014, 23/50) Ensinger · 2026-08 · tds
  31. Elastollan — Chemical properties: swelling and chemical resistance BASF · 2026-08 · tds
  32. Weld-On 3 Acrylic Plastic Cement — technical data sheet (shipped as dichloromethane) IPS Corporation · 2002-07 · tds